GULF SHORES, Ala. - Faulkner fought back from the brink of elimination this afternoon with three victories to remain among just four teams left standing here in the Southern States Athletic conference softball tournament. The Lady Eagles dismantled Coastal Georgia 8-3 to start the day before edging Martin Methodist 4-3. Faulkner then blew by Brewton-Parker with a 7-3 decision in the final showdown of the afternoon.

The Lady Eagles wasted little time in revving up the offensive engine this morning. Kelsey Hartley and Kendra Orozco each drove in single runs while Sophie Slemp knocked in a pair to give Faulkner a 4-0 lead after an inning of play against Coastal Georgia. The Lady Eagles kept the pedal to the floor for the remainder of the outing and never relinquished control.

The Mariners generated a run on a Faulkner error in the second and Hayley Craven offered up a two-run homer to pull Coastal within one in the third.

Jessica Butterworth went ballistic for the the Lady Eagles starting in the bottom of that same inning, however, improving the team's cushion with a leadoff homer. It was the junior's first of the year.

Butterworth was back at it in the fourth with a two-RBI double to center field and Orozco brought her home with a single to the same place capping Faulkner's scoring effort.

Hayden Strickland (10-6) scattered five hits over seven innings and allowed four earned runs while tallying a career-high seven strikeouts in the victory.

The Lady Eagles had little rest before taking on Martin Methodist in the second bout of the day, but the brief hiatus proved inconsequential as Faulkner continued to roll.

The Redhawks gained a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but Faulkner answered in the bottom of the second when Slemp scored home on a wild pitch. Amanda Seales then inched Faulkner back in front with an RBI single just moments later.

The Redhawks drove in the tying run on a double from Alley Benefield the very next at bat and it wasn't the last the Lady Eagles would hear from her.

The teeter-tooter again shifted back in Faulkner's favor when Hartley punched a solo homer to left field in the third inning before a bases-loaded walk ushered in the team's final run of the game.

Martin Methodist tried closing the gap and struck with a leadoff homer to center field from Benefiled in the fifth, but the Redhawks offense went quiet for the remainder of the outing. Benefield was 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a run.

Mattie Dotson (14-9), who continues to battle through shoulder fatigue, moved to 1-1 in the tournament allowing nine hits and three earned runs while putting away four at the plate in the win.

The Lady Eagles struck early and often against Brewton-Parker in the final bout of the day. The Barons were a huge upset force on Day 1 of the tournament rallying out of a 4-0 deficit after the mid-way mark to blast Bethel 11-4 before sending top-seeded Auburn Montgomery into the loss bracket with a 4-3 stunner.

Butterworth sparked the offense with a double down the left field line in the first inning and immediately scored on a Hartley double to virtually the same spot.

Brewton-Parker refused to be intermediated, however, and opened the second inning with three consecutive singles before Faulkner walked in the tying run.

Butterworth and Slemp teamed up to move the Lady Eagles back on top with RBI singles in the third. 

Slemp then repeated the feat in the fifth inning while Avery Mott's sac fly gave Faulkner the 5-1 lead.

Hartley later capped Faulkner's offense for the afternoon with a two-RBI single to right-center in the sixth.

The Barons found some life in their final trip to the plate and mustered a pair of runs before the Lady Eagles managed to close shop.

Emma Cornell (5-3) held the circle for four and a third innings and gave up just four hits and a single earned run in the win. The freshman also had a strikeout.

Freshman Taylor Griffith took over for Cornell and held the circle for two innings and allowed two hits and earned runs while logging a strikeout.

Strickland helped spring the Lady Eagles out of a bases-loaded jam in the final inning and anchored the defense for the final two outs.

"The defense looked much better these last few games and the offense is finally clicking," head coach Hal Wynn told his team after the final win. "I know we're a little banged up in the circle but overall you did a great job."

Faulkner was the only team to win three games today.

Hartley and Slemp were nothing short of impressive on the afternoon for the Lady Eagles going 5-for-9 across the three games. Hartley did justice to the designated hitter role and was the only Faulkner player to have a hit, run and RBI in every game. The freshman dove in five runs and scored three times. Slemp had four RBIs.

Butterworth was no slouch at the plate either going 5-for-11 with four RBIs and runs.

Makenzie Anthony competed in the first and third games of the day and was 4-for-6 with three runs.

Orozco was a perfect 3-for-3 with two RBIs and a run against Coastal Georgia and Mott was 2-for-3 against Martin Methodist.

The Lady Eagles (29-19) will embark on the steepest phase of their uphill climb tomorrow beginning at 9 am. Faulkner will attempt to knock off William Carey in the first game of the day. The regular season west division champions have lost just a single game thus far, a 1-0 nail-bitter to second-seeded Mobile. The Crusaders answered that disappointment by ripping AUM 8-0 in just five innings to advance further in the loss bracket. Tomorrow's matchup will be the first time the two teams have faced each other this season.